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Sleep Deprivation Costs Billions Each Year

  • December 01, 2016

Sleep-deprived workers are costing the U.K. economy £40 billion a year, because of lowered productivity and work absences, BBC.com reports. Additionally, those sleeping less than six hours a night were found 13 percent more likely to die earlier than those sleeping seven to nine hours.

The same report showed that sleep deprivation costs the U.S. economy $411 billion a year, and 1.2 million missed working days. Interestingly, the researchers “called on employers to discourage staff from extended use of electronic devices after working hours,” BBC added. This is the same advice I’ve been offering for a long time.

Unfortunately, about 95 percent of Americans use an electronic device within one hour of going to sleep, and 89 percent have at least one electronic device in their bedrooms. This has a major implication on the quality of your sleep because sleep has a lot to do with light, and these devices emit a blue light that hinders sleep.

If you want a good night’s rest (eight to nine hours) and an energized feeling in the morning, there are several strategies you can use, beginning with unplugging those devices and getting them out of your bedroom. Then turn them off at least an hour before going to bed.

Also try to sleep in a room devoid of EMFs, which can disrupt your body’s melatonin processes. Keep the temperature in your bedroom below 70 degrees F, avoid alcohol, caffeine and other drugs including nicotine for several before bed, and optimize light exposure during the day, while keeping your bedroom as dark as possible while you sleep.